Operationalizing Coercive Control

Abstract

Abstract The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, modeled on the concept of coercive control, made it a statutory offense for someone to engage in a course of behavior that is abusive or threatening toward their partner or ex-partner. Proponents argued that existing criminal offenses failed to capture the ongoing and cumulative nature of domestic abuse and obscured the gendered dynamics of power and control that characterize it. The act was intended to properly reflect the experience of those subject to coercive control, ensure more effective investigation and prosecution, and facilitate a victim’s access to justice. This chapter draws on interviews with police officers of varying rank to consider how the domestic abuse offense has influenced their practice and the resulting survivor experience. Our analysis indicated opportunities, complexities, concerns and challenges around its interpretation and implementation. This raises questions about the extent to which meaningful change can be legislated into police practice.